This week, the Senate will have to decide between two imperfect options, as is the case for most difficult decisions in life. While putting a guilty man on the Supreme Court would be deeply unfortunate, what we know about Kavanaugh’s record for the last 30 years of his life tells us the realized negative consequences would be minimal if he were actually guilty.

On the other hand, it is hard to quantify the irreparable damage done by keeping an innocent Kavanaugh off the court because of a disregard for the presumption of innocence. In reviewing Blackstone’s formulation, and considering the makeup of the Supreme Court in 2100, 2200, and beyond, the Senate’s choice is clear.

This open Supreme Court seat originally had the chance to sway our nation’s highest court for a generation. But now the stakes are even higher. Because of this process’s implication on the very fabric of our judicial system, the outcome of Kavanaugh’s nomination will now change the fate of the court forevermore.